Prior applicators have been proposed that can be used to apply terminal strips of varying widths, and/or pitches by substituting numerous components on the applicator strip feed mechanism and/or by varying the arrangement of components of the strip feed mechanism such as varying pivot points of drive links or utilizing adjustment features to vary the positional relationship of the operative parts of the machines. All of these proposed solutions require special adjustments to the strip feed mechanism or removal and substitution of working parts of the strip feed mechanism between the application of dissimilar terminal strips, either of which increases the time needed to set up the applicator and increases the probability of erroneous assembly and adjustment of the applicator. In addition, these proposed applicators fail to suggest a reliable means for handling terminal strips having terminals of varying structural contours.
The advent and increasing use of continuously molded insulative terminal strip technology increases the structural variety of terminal strips available for high speed and high volume application, and the need for a self adjusting applicator that can apply a wide variety of continuously molded insulative terminal strips of varying pitches, terminal diameters, terminal strip widths and terminal shapes. Continuously molded insulative strips are formed by molding a strip of spaced plastic terminal insulating housings transversely positioned along the length of the strip with adjacent barrels being interconnected by plastic ribbon portions molded therebetween. Metal terminal or connector elements are then inserted within the insulative housings to complete the continuously molded terminal strip portions. Typically the insulating housings are formed with a plastic barrel portion for insulating the crimp-barrel portion of the terminal, a plastic funnel portion for directing a wire into the metal barrel portion and, if desired, a terminal portion to insulate the metal terminal blade; the metal terminal blade being formed in a number of sizes and shapes, for example, locking fork terminals, female disconnects, right angle female disconnects, and male disconnects.
Prior proposed applicators have not disclosed or suggested a satisfactory self-adjusting mechanism that can accept a wide variety of structurally disparate continuously molded terminal strips and accurately apply each terminal to a wire without the need for readjustment and/or exchange of the working parts of the strip feed mechanism.